Snowplow



Nov. l0, 1925 1,561,111 l.. w. RITTENHousE SNOWPLOW Fld April 17,' 1924 6 2,Sheets-Sheet 1 will L, CHM/zg we 61H0: um,

Nov. l0, 1925 1,561,111

L. w. RITTENHousE SNOWPLOW Fibbed April 1'7. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HIHIIIIIIIIIIIIllllllilllllllllllllllflllf Patented Nov. 10, 1925.

UNITED STAT-ES LEON w. RITTENHoUsE, 0E ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

SNOWPLOW'.

Application led April 17, 1924. Serial No. 707,175.

To @ZZ wko/m. z't may concern.:

Be it known that I, LEON WV. RITTEN- HOUSE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in 'Snowplows, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in snow plows and particularly to the type where a plow or snow removing device is positioned forwardly of a standard construction of tractor, such. as a Fordson tractor for clearing a path or removing snow from a roadway or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a snow plow of the type above set forth the provision of operating mechanism for the plow structure driven by de- Vices associated with the motor of the tractor and under control of the operator.

' A further object of the invention is to support the plow structure forwardly of the tractor by brace bars and to provide a skid at each side of the plow structure to assist in the support thereof and to retain the same properly positioned with relation to the tractor.

A further object of the invention embodies the provision of a novel type of bearing or hub for the snow gathering or removing bladed wheel of the plow structure to insure a perfect operation.

The invention further embodies certain improvements in the art to which it relates and more particularly' Lwith reference to the patent granted to L. W. Rittenhouse on snow plow. Patent No. 1,406,897, dated February 14, 1922.

With the above and other objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists of the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a snow plow constructed in accordance, with the present invention, the operating mechanism therefor being illustrated as associated with a tractor that is illustrated by dotted lines,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same,

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on linei III-III of Fig. 1 showing' the side supporting skids for the plow structure,

Figure 4 is a detail plan view showing the operating mechanism for the snow gathering wheel, and

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the hub or bearing for the snow gathering wheel. v

rlhe snow plow is positioned forwardly of the tractor 1 illustrated by dotted lines in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 and embodies a snow gathering wheel havin" operative connections with the motor 2 of the tractor. The plow includes a casing or hood structure in the form of a `housing having a rear wall 3 of the form best illustrated in Fig. 3, a side wall 4 curved at its upper end as at 5 and merging into the flat upper 'wall 6 while the opposite side wall 7 is outwardly curved adjacent its upper end and terminates at the point 8 to form a lateral discharge opening 9. The side wall 4 carries a forwardly directed plate extension 10 and the lower wall of the housing includes a downward extension 11 carrying a forwardly directed foot or shovel 12 adjacent the ground line as illustrated in Fig. 1. A curved hood 13 is carried by the side and upper wall sections 4, 5 and 6 to prevent an upward throw of the gathered snow and to assist in directing the same through the discharge opening 9. The housing of the plow structure is supported upon the tractor by brace bars 14 and 15 of the type best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

A further support for the plow structure in the form of shoes or skids is associated therewith, angle brackets 16 being carried by the rear corner edges of the housing adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof and through which vertical shafts 17 extend, the lower angle brackets 16 carrying depending bearings 18 for the shafts 17 while skid shoes 19 in the form of disks are carried b the lower ends of the shafts. It will therefore be seen that the plow structure has the skid shoe supports in addition to the brace bars 14 and 15 and insure the proper positioning of the shovel edge 12 with relation to the ground line.

The housing being open at its forward side, the snow received therein during the forward travel of the housing is laterally discharged through the opening 9 by a Y ber V2O and spaced therefrom by the relathereof keyed as at 30` to the projecting tabladed wheel mounted upon a hub structure of thea-type illustrated in' F ig. f5 whereina fixed hub member having an end flange 2l secured as at V22,to the rear wall 3'of the housing provides'a bearing VVforthe aX'le or shaft 23 passing through the hub memtively long sleeve 24 positioned centrally of the hub member. Roller bearing 25 engagin'gfthe 'shaft v23 adjacent each end thereof are located'at each end of thecollar 24 and are `set `into cutaway portions 2Oa provided in the inner face of the hub member 20, rthe bearing rollers 25 being enclosed by .a collar 2G. An outer hub member27 carrying the snow gathering wheel blades 28 has the reduced closed bearing :end 29 pered end of the shaft 23 and retained in position 'thereon by the jamb nuts 31 threaded on the extensioni23n ofthe shaft. An annular flange 32 is vcarried bythe larger Lend ofthe outerv hub member 27 and is .disposed adjacent the flange 21, while ball bearings 33 are interposed betweenthe larger end of the hub "member 27 and the rear endof the inner hub member 20. A

. The operating means for the bladed snow vgatheni'ng wheel includes a relatively large gear 34 keyed as at 35 to the rear project- `ing .end of ythe shaft 23-and is positioned rearwardly ofthe housing' of the plow structure and `meshes with the pinion 36 carried by fthe stub shaft 37 kthat 'is j ournaled in theV bracket 38 carried by the rear'wall 3 of the housing' as clearly illustrated in Figs.

l` to 3. :A casing 39 housing clutch mecha- "msm `undercontrol of the leverand link :mechanism 40 also encloses meshing gears 41 and 42, the gear 41 being carried by theV stub :shaft 43 journaled in the forward wall olftthecasing 39 and carrying a gear 44 lupon the-projecting end thereof alined with the gear 45 upon the power shaft46 of the' inotor2 as shown in F ig. .4, a chain 47 connecting the gears 44 and 45 for transmitting fpowertothe gears 41 and-42 .and the clutch mechanismjn the casing 39. A stub shaft 47 vjournaled in the forward wall of the casing 39 supports the gear 42 and a rod 48 has a universal connection 49 at its 'opposite ends with the stub shafts 37 and 47.

From the above detail description of the vsnow plow, it is believed the construction and operationthereof will at once be apparent, it being fnotedthat power is transmitted from the main'shaft45 of the motor to the bladed snow gathering wheel through the chain and gear mechanism .above described under control of theclutch devices in the casing 39. The bearing for the snow `gathering wheel insures perfect operation thereof asV the bearing elements are fully protected from the snow Vand the skid shoes 19 assist the brace rods 14 and 15 ingproperly supporting the plow structure with relation to the ground line and insuring even travel thereof over a road surface. r

lVhile there is herein shownV and described the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is nevertheless to be `understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from Athe spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

lli/'hat is claimed as new is :4H

The combination with a tractor-and its motive power unit, of a snow gathering, bladed wheel carried by and located forwardly of the tractor, a gear connected to said wheel to rotate therewith, a pinion meshing with the gear, a casing carried by Vthe tractor, a stub shaft journaled in the 

